Semiconductor devices are used in many electronic and other applications. Semiconductor devices comprise integrated circuits that are formed on semiconductor wafers by depositing many types of thin films of material over the semiconductor wafers and patterning the thin films of material to form the integrated circuits.
Metallization layers are usually the top-most layers of semiconductor devices. While some integrated circuits have a single top layer of metallization, other integrated circuits comprise multi-level interconnects, wherein two or more metallization layers are formed over a semiconductor wafer or workpiece. Each conductive line layer typically comprises a plurality of conductive lines separated from one another by an insulating material, also referred to as an inter-level dielectric (ILD). Advanced semiconductor processes utilize inter-level dielectrics with low dielectric constants (k) and/or ultra-low dielectric constants (ULK) to minimize interconnect parasitic capacitances.
One of the challenges in semiconductor technology requires developing technologies with good product yield and reliability. However, with low dielectric constants, materials have poor mechanical properties. Consequently, use of low-k and ultra-low dielectric constant materials introduces additional challenges in maintaining yield and component reliability.
Thus, what is needed in the art are semiconductor components containing low-k and ultra-low dielectric constant materials but without comprising product yield or component reliability.